Ginger Curried Chicken with Leeks and Lentils

This recipe caught my eye for the combination of curry, leeks and oranges.  I was very excited.  And about halfway through I realized I could have sent the dish a little more through the roof had I vamped on the curry powder instead of relying on the turmeric-heavy store blend.  In the end, the lentils sort dominated the dish.  And the citrus didn't add as much as I had hoped. 

So lesson learned...better curry powder and orange juice instead of wine.

Still, this was a satisfying dish.

adapted from BHG

Serves 2-3

The Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces

2 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced 

2 leeks, halved lengthwise
1 tangerine, cut into wedges
1 cup lentils
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine


The Process
In a gallon zip top bag, toss chicken with salt and 1 Tbsp of the curry powder.  Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium- high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides.  Remove from pot. Add ginger, leeks, tangerine wedges, and remaining curry powder. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until leeks are tender and ginger is fragrant.

Stir in lentils, broth, and wine. Return chicken pieces to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 55 to 60 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter.  Serve along side lentils.

  

Smoked Salmon Chowder

A dear friend and roommate brought us back a wonderful Christmas present from her trip out to see family in Washington and Vancouver.  Smoked salmon.  I was elated!  And had to refrain from ripping open the package and devouring every morsel on spot.

After my initial thrill,  my mind jumped to a rich soup: creamy and tinged with that smokey essence, tender lumps of potato simmered with flaky bits of salmon.  Oh how I wish that gorgeous piece of smoked fish had lasted a tad longer!

adapted from Epicurious

serves 4 generously

The Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 medium leeks, thoroughly rinsed and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
2 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp dried pulverized tomato skin
2 cups milk
8 ounces smoked salmon, flaked
1/2 cup heavy cream

The Process:
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over low heat.  Add the  leeks and garlic; sautee until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add the potato and celery, and stir until coated with oil.  Add the salt, pepper, and thyme.  Pour in the broth and simmer the mixture until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the tomato skin and milk, add the salmon.  Simmer the soup until the salmon and milk is heated through.  Do not let the mixture come to boil, lest the milk separate.  Whisk in the heavy cream.

Sprinkle with additional thyme and cracked pepper.

Harvest Root Vegetable Stew

Root vegetables are filler.  Peasant food.  Cheap.  Heavy.  Starchy. Sustaining.  Absolutely delicious.  And oh so plentiful this time of year.  We sadly received the last of our boxes from our CSA farm last week.  But boy, howdy was it heavy.  Three or four types of potatoes, parsnip, carrots, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes,leeks, squash...

All that I love best about fall.

This recipe is sort of a garbage casserole.  Really.  Anything goes.  Particularly if it is starchy.  Throw it in.  The end result will probably be tastier than you expected.

the recipe is my own

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, whites sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup apple cider (NOT hard cider)
1 1/2 cups beer
3-4 small russet potatoes,cubed or quartered
2-3 red potatoes, cubed or quartered
1 small sweet potato, cubed
2-3 small turnips, cubed or qaurter4ed 
2-3 carrots, cut into 1 inch coins
2-3 parsnips, cut into 1 inch coins
1-2 radishes, quartered
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

The Process:
In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and leeks until the garlic is fragrant  the leeks are tender, 5-7 minutes.  Pour in the  cider and beer, deglazing the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetables and seasonings.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid reduced by about  one third.

Serve hot with cheddar and ale biscuits.

Leek and Potato Casserole

Schedules have been odd as of late.  As a result the cabinets and fridge host the most interesting array of ingredients.  Almost barren.  A few staples hide here and there, but enough is lacking to put me in a fit.  No rice?  Only a few dribbles of milk?  The scenario is quite sad, actually.  I really need to make a trip to the store.

But those leeks...sitting forlornly on the shelf in the fridge...begging to be used.  My first impulse was to toss them in the slow cooker with some potatoes and vegetable stock.  Soup is so nice to have on hand.  Especially in the midst of a spring cold snap.

But inspiration hit.  Or maybe it was an overdose of scalloped potatoes at Easter...

Either way, the path was cleared for this twisted version of scalloped potatoes.

The recipe is my own

serve 6-8

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Yukon or Russet potatoes
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 medium leeks
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Gruyere, Munster or any other good melting cheese)

for the crumb topping
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

The Process:
preheat the oven to 350

Clean the leeks by cutting off the root tip and dark green tops and removing the outer tough leaves. Slice in half lengthwise and fan out the layers. Rinse well under cold running water to remove and sand and grit.  Thinly slice the leeks crosswise.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the sliced leeks, thyme, salt and pepper.  Saute until the leeks are tender and just beginning to brown.   Whisk in the yogurt, sour cream and broth.  Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile peel the potatoes and slice crosswise into thin coins.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and arrange the potatoes in overlapping rows.

Add the cheese to the leek mixture and stir until slightly melted.  Spoon the leek mixture over the sliced potatoes and spread into an even layer.  Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the butter, bread crumbs and cheese into a coarse blend.  After 40 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle the crumb topping over the casserole.  return to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the crumb top has browned and the potatoes are tender.

The Review:
The slightly sweet leeks played so wonderfully against the subtle sourness of the yogurt and sour cream.  I almost forgot the potatoes were hiding underneath.  This was a surprisingly light, though very hearty dish...serving well as a main course in a pinch.  It wasn't bogged down with a lot of cheese or heavy cream, though I did miss the richness so often associated with scalloped potatoes.  And the hunt for a better crumb top begins.  I have the idea of an adult mac and cheese tossing around in my head and would love to be able to perfect a butter crumb crust before then...

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Garlic Leek Sauce

That butternut squash has been staring at me forlornly for far too long.  It deserved better than to rest on the counter.  Remembering fondly the lovely, pillow-y dumpling I made out of sweet potatoes well over a year ago, I convinced myself the squash would be happy in that form.  Over the course of three days I worked on the gnocchi.  Baking the squash one day.  Making the dough and forming the gnocchi the next.  Waiting for the third day for the dish to come together.  I had very high hopes.  The dish was anticipated all week.

 For some reason, my biggest frustration with gnocchi isn't the amount of time it takes, but coming up with a sauce pairing.  Cream sauces seemed to heavy.  Brown butter sauce, too common.  I wanted something light and mellow...maybe a bit tart...to compliment what I suspected would be a sweeter gnocchi.  Leeks and white wine were on hand.

Did the combination work out?

Serves 4-6

Gnocchi recipe adapted from Bon Apetit, October 2010
Sauce recipe is my own

The Ingredients:
for the gnocchi
1 small butternut squash, about 1 lb
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large russet potato, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for rolling

for the sauce
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
 2 large leeks, trimmed and cleaned
1 shallot
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp dry white wine
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:
for the gnocchi

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Cut squash in half lengthwise and discard seeds. Pierce the skin of the squash in several places with a sharp knife and place cut sides down on an oiled baking sheet.   Roast until squash is very tender and skin begins to blister and brown, about 1 1/2 hours. Let rest until cool enough to handle. Scoop the flesh from squash into a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, stirring constantly. The goal is to rid the squash of as much liquid as possible. Cool. Measure out one cup of puree.

Meanwhile, cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl. Cool completely. Measure two cups  riced potato.

Mix squash, potato, Parmesan cheese, egg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add the flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is excessively sticky, add more flour one Tbsp at a time. The dough should be smooth, but tacky.  Too much flour with result in a tough dumpling.  Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Flatten the dough into a circle and divide into eight equal wedges.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment sprinkled lightly with flour. Working with one dough segment at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope. Using a well floured knife, cut rope crosswise into 3/4- inch pieces. Gently roll each gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour to make ridges on one side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. 

At this point the shaped gnocchi may be frozen for latter use.  Loosely cover the baking sheets and set in the freezer for 1-2 hours.  Gently transfer the frozen gnocchi to freezer bags.  To prepare, proceed directly to cooking directions below...DO NOT THAW!

Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15 to 17 minutes--gnocchi will float to surface when almost cooked through. Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to warmed dinner plates

for the sauce

In a large  skillet, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the leeks, shallots and garlic and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until leeks softened and are just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, whit4e wine and parsley.  Bring mixture to a gentle simmer fro 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve
Transfer cooked gnocchi to warmed serving plates and drizzle with leek sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan or fresh parsley if desired

The Review:
So back to the question.  Did the combination work out?  No.  The sauce was stunning.  A beautiful mild green hue.  Subtle onion flavor with a slight sweetness.  A hint of garlic.  The cleaning bite of the wine.  I had to stop myself from licking the utensils clean while I worked. 

But did it pair well with the gnocchi?  Barely.  The gnocchi were completely overpowered by the sauce.  Bland by comparison, they became the vehicles that supported the flavorful green accompaniment instead of being complimented center stage.

The gnocchi themselves?  After such a build up all week and the amount of time put into them, I was let down.  Even trying a frozen batch a few days later with a basic brown butter sauce seemed bland and a hair on the doughy side.  Perhaps I didn't measure well enough...or hadn't cooked down the squash enough.  But to devote so much time to a dish that is at best lackluster is a huge disappointment.  Will this be the end of my gnocchi attempts?  Of course not.  Eventually I figure out the right balance that creates the perfect airy and delicate morsel.  Maybe by then I can come up with a better pairing as well.  Or I could leave well enough alone.  Most recipes must use browned butter for a reason...

Leek, Potato and Zucchini Cakes

A huge thank you to Marc and Elysabeth of Saucy and Bossy for posting this recipe from All Things Simple. I absolutely adore leeks and am always on the prowl to find new ways to prepare this subtly onion-flavored stalk. While the recipe may be time consuming for those in a week night bind, I found this to be an easy recipe to intersperse with a vain attempt to regain control of my kitchen.

The cakes were done long before the kitchen was re-ordered.

adapted from Marc's post at Saucy and Bossy

makes 6-8 cakes

The Ingredients:
1 medium russet potato
3 leeks
1 cup zucchini, washed and grated
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
pinch cayenne pepper
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

The Process:
Clean and pierce potato with a fork a few times, and cook in the microwave for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Alternatively, bake an oven set to 350 for 25-30 minutes or until soft but still firm. Set aside to cool.

Remove the outer leaves, and cut off the dark green portion and roots of the leeks. Slice lengthwise and rinse under cold running water or submerge in a basin of water to remove any dirt or grit. Slice thinly, crosswise to the stalk. Blanch leeks in a large pot of boiling salty water for 4-5 minutes then drain in colander and immediately rinse in cold water. Add zucchini and add salt to extract moisture for 10-15 minutes.

While greens are draining, peel potato and grate on a box grater. Combine with egg, flour, cayenne, Parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.

Squeeze remaining moisture from the zucchini leek mixture and add the greens to the large bowl. Mix well.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until almost shimmering. Fry cakes, 4-5 minutes a side, until golden brown. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, and hot sauce as desired.

The Review:
These are an amazing twist on the classic potato pancake. The pre-cooked potato combined with egg and flour provides an wonderfully creamy base for the texture and mild onion flavor of the leeks. Just enough seasoning is added to enhance the flavors without overpowering them. And the cayenne or dash of Sriracha on the side provides just enough interest and heat for those that may otherwise find these hearty veggie patties a bit bland.

I found two cakes to be a perfect accompaniment or side dish to a hearty protein, however they are filling enough to stand on their own as a vegetarian entree. Made smaller and served at room temperature these may be a hit as an appetizer as well. I will be adding these to our regular rotation.

Chicken, Leek and Parsley Pie

Savory pies. Meat pies. Pot pies. Perfect British comfort for an overcast and dreary day. What is so alluring about a flaky crust enveloping saucy and hearty fillings? Perhaps only Mrs. Lovett knows...

The Ingredients:
3 skinless chicken breast fillets
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 small onion, quartered
6 black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 lb short crust pastry dough (double pie crust)
1/4 cup butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp cornflower
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
beaten egg, to glaze
salt and ground black pepper
mixed green salad leaves, to serve
The Process:
Put the chicken, carrot, onion, peppercorns and bouquet garni in a shallow pan, add water and bring to just a boil. Lower the heat and poach gently, for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Leave to cool in the liquid, then drain and cut into strips.

Preheat the oven to 400. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Use the larger piece to line an 11 x 7 inch baking pan. Prick the base, bake for 15 minutes, then leave to cool.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until soft. Stir in the cheeses and parsley.

Spread half of the leek mixture over the pastry base, cover with the chicken strips, then top with the remaining leek mixture. Mix together the mustard, cornflour and cream in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and pour into the pie.

Moisten the pastry base edges. Use the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Brush with beaten egg and bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crisp. Serve with salad.

My Modifications:
A shortage of flour and butter (Travesty! How could I possibly be low on such staples of the pantry!) required me to rely on pre-made Pillsbury pie crusts. Unfortunately, not everything can be scratch all the time.

I also lacked the fresh herbs to form a bouquet garni. Thankfully, 2 tsp of a dried mixture from Penzey Spices, wrapped in a coffee filter and tied off with a fresh sprig of parsley filled in the role.

I also turned to my trusty 9" Pyrex pie dish, in lieu of a rectangular baking pan. The recipe's quantity fills a 9" pie plate beautifully.

The Review:
I must confess, Pillsbury makes a mighty fine crust...particularly when I'm not in the mood to roll out my own. The chicken was incredibly tender. I had been skeptical that poaching the breasts with the bouquet garni and veggies would have any impact; but that little pouch of herbs packed quite a punch in the end.

The leek flavor was overshadowed by the mustard, and the gravy/sauce was a bit runny, but overall the flavors were well balanced (even for the mustard-phobic among us).

A touch more parsley, slightly smaller cuts of chicken and a hint less mustard would make this a savory meat pie worth coming back to.